We identified 8 publicly reported settlements that resulted in policy changes and $54,934,000.00 in monetary compensation to victims.

Data last updated June 1, 2023.

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Settlements
Location Year Description Outcome
Baltimore, Maryland 2022

In 2019, the family of Malcolm Bryant filed a lawsuit against the Baltimore Police Department, Detective William F. Ritz, and forensic analyst Barry Verger for wrongful conviction. The City agreed to settle the case for $8 million.

In 1998, Mr. Bryant was convicted of murdering Toni Bullock, a 16-year-old girl, and spent 17 years incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. He was later exonerated through the use of DNA evidence in 2016, and his family filed a lawsuit three years later against the Baltimore Police Department and Detectives William F. Ritz and Barry Verger, arguing that they did not disclose exculpatory evidence and . The case was settled for $8 million and was paid for by the City. Mr. Bryant passed away less than a year after he was released from prison.

Compensation
$8,000,000.00
Baltimore, Maryland 2022

Baltimore City’s Spending Board approved a $195,000 settlement agreement with two victims who had drugs planted on them by a police task force.

In 2012, Baltimore’s Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF) planted drugs on and subsequently arrested Kyle Knox and Shaune Berry. Both served two years in jail before charges were dismissed. The corrupt task force often targeted victims by planting evidence, and many victims served time after being convicted. Not including this $195,000 settlement, Baltimore has spent over $13 million compensating victims of GTTF as of January 2022.

Compensation
$195,000.00
Baltimore, Maryland 2021

The City of Baltimore settled a lawsuit with Yusef Smith, who served jail time because of an officer’s false testimony.

Officer Michael O’Sullivan arrested Smith due to his proximity to a gun on the ground. Smith was subsequently charged with illegal possession of a handgun and other firearm offenses. O’Sullivan wrote a false statement saying that he saw Smith throw the gun before fleeing the scene. O’Sullivan repeated this testimony at trial, causing Smith to be convicted.  O’Sullivan was later convicted of perjury, sentenced to 15 months in prison, and then eventually resigned from the police department on December 1, 2020. Smith will receive $100,000 from the city.

Compensation
$100,000.00
Baltimore, Maryland 2020

In November 2020, the City of Baltimore approved a multimillion-dollar payment to settle several lawsuits concerning the city’s Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF). The payments will settle seven cases of police misconduct against Baltimore’s corrupt GTTF and include $8 million to two men the GTTF planted narcotics on in 2010.

Umar Burley and Brent Matthews, the recipients of the largest settlement payment, served time in prison after an illegal car chase conducted by Baltimore Police. The chase resulted in the death of an 86-year-old man. Two separate but related lawsuits amounted to nearly $600,000 in settlement payments. Several officers on the GTTF were convicted of federal crimes, such as racketeering for robbing city residents.

Compensation
$10,000,000.00
Baltimore, Maryland 2020

Officials announce policy changes to limit discrimination in hiring by the police force.

Baltimore County announced in November 2020 that it will refrain from using written examinations for police recruitment purposes. A 2019 lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) alleged that the County was engaging in unintentional employment discrimination against African Americans applicants.

The lawsuit asserted the African American applicants were discriminated against in the hiring of entry-level police officer and cadet positions by heavily weighing examination scores in hiring decisions. DOJ officials argued that hiring examinations were not job-related and disproportionately excluded African Americans.

Policy changes
Baltimore, Maryland 2020

The Baltimore Police Department settled claims of sexual harassment and discrimination with Luis Garcia, a Hispanic Officer, for $62,000.

Officer Garcia’s lawsuit alleged that the Baltimore Police Department has a pattern of discrimination against Hispanic men. His suit was filed separately but is related to another settlement granted to Officer Jasmin Rowlett.

Compensation
$62,000.00
Baltimore, Maryland 2020

The Baltimore Police Department settled claims of race and sex-based discrimination as well as sexual harassment with Jasmin Rowlett, a Black female officer

Rowlett and fellow Officer Luis Garcia were accused of fraternization by their colleagues, who also spread rumors about a relationship between the two. Rowlett also alleged that her supervisor made suggestive comments towards her.

Compensation
$77,000.00
Baltimore, Maryland 2010 - 2019

Between 2010 and 2014, Baltimore spent $12 million on police misconduct cases; between 2015 and 2019, Baltimore taxpayers paid a total of $24.5 million for police misconduct settlements.

In 2015, The Wall Street Journal released an analysis of settlement totals from instances of police misconduct among the ten largest local police departments in the nation. Many of the cases involved in the analysis involved alleged beatings, shootings, and wrongful imprisonment. The analysis determined that, between 2010 and 2014, the City of Baltimore spent $12 million on police misconduct cases. A separate analysis conducted by Baltimore Brew concluded that Baltimore taxpayers paid $24.5 million for police misconduct settlements between fiscal years 2015 and 2019.

Compensation
$36,500,000.00